Pet waste, or more specifically, pet fecal matter, is a problem and an ever-increasing one. Exposure to pet waste, in its worst case, can cause minor ill health and numerous, sometimes serious diseases. The offensive odor of pet waste alone makes it more than a mere nuisance. Disposing of pet waste in a manner that is both responsible and economical requires a solution.
Today, the generally accepted method of disposal of pet waste, particularly in high-density or urban areas, is to wrap pet waste in plastic and deposit it in a municipal garbage can. This practice however, can pose health hazards. In some population areas, pet owners are required to dispose of pet waste in a manner so as to avoid posing a health hazard. Trash Haulers and Recycling Technicians are of particular concern. As the value of recycling increases, and as trash and recycling companies continue to increase the number of people hired to separate recyclable products from general rubbish, the concern for health in these areas will continue to grow as well. Also, a growing number of unauthorized individualsxe2x80x94the homeless, for examplexe2x80x94who sift through trash cans looking to recover valuable items can also be exposed to this type of health hazard.
It should be understood that canine waste specifically is the primary concern due to the nature of its content, predominantly meat products which are particularly offensive in decaying form, and due to the sheer volume of material produced collectively by large numbers of dogs. Pet waste, in all of its forms from all types of pets, however, is of similar concern.
As with large municipal sewage treatment plants, the addition of water to facilitate and accelerate the breakdown is quite necessary. The process of mixing pet waste with water, and the churning action necessary to accelerate the breakdown of the combined material, however, can quickly produce offensive, noxious, and sometimes overwhelming odors. It can be a very unpleasant task for a user to remain near the pet waste as this process is taking place.
Stationary devices that treat waste eventually fill up past the point at which they remain effective. There are several reasons they do so: 1) they contain an over-abundance of non-biodegradable material, such as rocks, twigs, etc. that is added inadvertently, and 2) the residue of decayed mass accumulates past the point at which the soil can sufficiently absorb additional material. The end result requires the user to either remove the contents manually or abandon the unit and acquire another for the same purpose. The options are time-consuming and costly.
There exist today several pet waste disposal systems that allow the treatment of pet waste by the pet owners or pet caregivers. Of those, some incorporate the soil to bury pet waste and utilize the natural breakdown and decay process(es) found in common soil. Those same systems advocate the addition of chemicals to assist the decay process. Only one recommends the addition of water but does not give the operator a convenient way to do so, nor does it allow the advantage of doing so from a sufficient distance away from the unit so as to avoid offensive odors. None use the force of water as a means to churn, mix, and fragment waste.
In a first preferred aspect, the present invention is a method of disposing of biodegradable material and of rejuvenating a patch of soil. To begin, a tube is provided that has a diameter between 10 cm and 10 meters. A hole is dug and the tube is placed, upright, in the hole, so that a little of the tube protrudes above the top of the hole. Biodegradable matter, such as pet waste, is placed in the tube and permitted to decompose. Finally, the tube is withdrawn from the hole leaving the decomposed material behind in the hole.
In a second separate aspect, the present invention is a method of disposing and treating a biodegradable material that produces an unpleasant odor when it is watered and stirred. First, an assembly is provided that has a container; a fitting for accepting and retaining the insertive coupler of a standard garden hose; a pressure nozzle in fluid communication with the fitting for receiving water from the fitting and expressing the water under pressure; and a nozzle-retaining apparatus oriented so that the water expressed from the nozzle is directed into the container at an angle adapted to produce a stirring motion within the container. Biodegradable material is placed into the container and the insertive coupler of a standard garden hose is attached into the fitting. Before or after this step, the receptive coupling of the standard garden hose is attached to a faucet. Finally the faucet is turned on to cause water to flow through the hose and out the nozzle, thereby watering and stirring and fragmenting the biodegradable material while the operator remains at a distance far enough away from the container to avoid the unpleasant odor that is emitted from the container by virtue of the watering and stirring.
In a third separate aspect the present invention is an assembly adapted to facilitate the disposing and treating of a biodegradable material that produces an unpleasant odor when it is watered and stirred and fragmented. The assembly includes a container and a fitting for accepting and retaining the insertive coupler of a standard garden hose. In addition, a pressure nozzle is in fluid communication with the fitting for receiving water from the fitting and expressing the water under pressure. Finally, a nozzle-retaining apparatus is oriented so that the water expressed from the nozzle is directed into the container at an angle adapted to produce a stirring motion within the container.